Last Modified: Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 3:14 p.m.

A person sits and smokes on lower Main Street and Palm Ave. in downtown Sarasota.

HERALD-TRIBUNE ARCHIVE / 2011 / THOMAS BENDER

The latest thrust comes from the City Commission, which has asked its attorney to concoct an ironclad trespassing policy that will once and for all clear the "bums" from downtown.

Apparently simply removing the benches from the popular Five Points Park — so the homeless had no place to sit — just hasn't done the job.

If so, the city fathers and mothers could start by reinstalling the benches so everyone can enjoy them.

Then they could look at the cause rather than the effect of homelessness.

This is where attitude plays a part. The city cannot condone vandalism, littering, public indecency, trespassing and confrontational panhandling. That's totally understandable.

But rather than concentrating only on arrest and punishment — or in the case of the benches, petulance — the city commissioners could take more constructive measures.

Every homeless person has a unique story, but there are some patterns.

Many don't have homes because they have debilitating mental problems. Sarasota could lead the charge in calling for, or sponsoring, more mental health services.

Because a disproportionate number of homeless are military veterans, the city could take a stronger role in ensuring they have transportation and access to existing veterans programs. And, the commissioners could lobby the federal government to enact better transition training for those who leave the military.

For the more functional folks, the city could support jobs programs aimed at the homeless and lobby for similar programs statewide.

Those are just a few suggestions. No city government can end homelessness on its own.

Maybe there's a philosophical question about whether government, any government, should get involved at all.

Surely anyone who espouses government intervention realizes that the intervention has to encompass more than just punishment for transgressions over which the individual may have little control.

So let's say the city perfects its trespassing laws and starts throwing homeless people in jail. Then what? They can't pay the fine, so they serve the time. Then what? Out they come — to the same scenario of homelessness.

This is no solution. It's an expensive placebo. And one that comes across as heartless. Sarasota is better than that.

<p>For a city that prides itself on appearing enlightened, Sarasota could do better than the backward approach it takes in dealing with its homeless population.</p><p>The latest thrust comes from the City Commission, which has asked its attorney to concoct an ironclad trespassing policy that will once and for all clear the "bums" from downtown.</p><p>Apparently simply removing the benches from the popular Five Points Park — so the homeless had no place to sit — just hasn't done the job.</p><p>If so, the city fathers and mothers could start by reinstalling the benches so everyone can enjoy them.</p><p>Then they could look at the cause rather than the effect of homelessness.</p><p>This is where attitude plays a part. The city cannot condone vandalism, littering, public indecency, trespassing and confrontational panhandling. That's totally understandable.</p><p>But rather than concentrating only on arrest and punishment — or in the case of the benches, petulance — the city commissioners could take more constructive measures.</p><p>Every homeless person has a unique story, but there are some patterns.</p><p>Many don't have homes because they have debilitating mental problems. Sarasota could lead the charge in calling for, or sponsoring, more mental health services.</p><p>Because a disproportionate number of homeless are military veterans, the city could take a stronger role in ensuring they have transportation and access to existing veterans programs. And, the commissioners could lobby the federal government to enact better transition training for those who leave the military.</p><p>For the more functional folks, the city could support jobs programs aimed at the homeless and lobby for similar programs statewide.</p><p>Those are just a few suggestions. No city government can end homelessness on its own.</p><p>Maybe there's a philosophical question about whether government, any government, should get involved at all.</p><p>Surely anyone who espouses government intervention realizes that the intervention has to encompass more than just punishment for transgressions over which the individual may have little control.</p><p>So let's say the city perfects its trespassing laws and starts throwing homeless people in jail. Then what? They can't pay the fine, so they serve the time. Then what? Out they come — to the same scenario of homelessness.</p><p>This is no solution. It's an expensive placebo. And one that comes across as heartless. Sarasota is better than that.</p><p><i>Eric Ernst's column runs Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Contact him at eric.ernst@heraldtribune.com or (941) 486-3073.</i></p>